Judge intervenes to grant blood transfusion for boy despite parents’ “devout beliefs”

high-court-bloodOn Monday a number of UK newspapers reported that the son of two devout Jehovah’s Witnesses WILL be given a blood transfusion if he needs it, following a ruling by a high court judge.

Doctors told Mr Justice Moylan that the “very young” boy was suffering from severe burns following an accident, and might need a blood transfusion.

The ruling was requested by a health trust with responsibility for treating the boy, and was granted after the judge concluded that a transfusion would be in the youngster’s best interests irrespective of the “deeply held views” of his Witness parents.

The child’s name and age have not been released.

In delivering his ruling, Moylan expressed his hopes that the boy’s parents would understand.

“I am extremely grateful to [the boy’s] father for so clearly and calmly explaining to me the position held by himself and [the boy’s] mother,” he said. “I have no doubt at all that they love their son dearly. I also have no doubt that they object to the receipt by [their son] of a blood transfusion because of their devout beliefs. I hope they will understand why I have reached the decision which I have, governed as it is [their son’s] welfare.”

Though controversial, this type of ruling, as recently fictionalized in Ian McEwan’s best-selling novel “The Children Act,” is quite commonplace.

Earlier this year another high court judge, Mr Justice Keehan, ordered that surgeons at the Birmingham Children’s Hospital could administer blood to a baby irrespective of his parents’ religious views. And there have been similar reported cases in Australia and New Zealand.

The dangers posed by arbitrarily insisting through religious dogma what types of medical treatment should be accepted or declined were recently highlighted in the tragic case of Adeline Keh, who died earlier this year after refusing blood following a C-section.

 

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83 thoughts on “Judge intervenes to grant blood transfusion for boy despite parents’ “devout beliefs”

  • December 30, 2014 at 10:07 am
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    It’s good that we have the law to over-rule extremely
    irrational, religious ideas, that put children’s lives in
    danger. A sad aspect though, is that the children too
    will be indoctrinated and traumatised at the thought
    of disobeying this hyped up doctrine.

    When my son was 7 he severed an artery in his arm,
    and when his mother and I got to the hospital he
    had already refused a transfusion, fortunately all
    turned out well, but sadly that’s not always the case.

  • January 1, 2015 at 4:05 pm
    Permalink

    Ted says:
    Your comment is awaiting moderation.
    December 30, 2014 at 10:07 am
    It’s good that we have the law to over-rule extremely
    irrational, religious ideas, that put children’s lives in
    danger. A sad aspect though, is that the children too
    will be indoctrinated and traumatised at the thought
    of disobeying this hyped up doctrine.

    When my son was 7 he severed an artery in his arm,
    and when his mother and I got to the hospital he
    had already refused a transfusion, fortunately all
    turned out well, but sadly that’s not always the case.
    Reply

  • January 28, 2015 at 12:57 am
    Permalink

    My brother lies in a hospital bed as I type and is on a ventilator. His wife is a devout JW as well as one of his sons. They have refused to give him blood if he needs it. The wife for years tried to get me to commit. This cult has spoken & written so many lies they would not know the truth if it bit them. They remind me of a leaf blowing in the wind…..in every direction. She used to do NWT studies with me when I was younger. I can truly say I am glad the “new light” never came on for me. But I guess it would not since I love learning, knowledge, science, higher education, and thinking for myself. But most of all, put what they told me to the test. I did my own research and studies and nowhere did I find any truth in their regurgitated garbage over and over. Mind Control Fear Mongrels. False Prophets to the bitter end.

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